Toy swords, formed, for example, from plastic material, have been commercially available to delight children in fictitious sword play for many years. One particular example of such a toy sword is the Thunder Sword.TM.m, manufactured and marketed by Thinkway Toys, Ltd., of Markham, Ontario, Canada.
The Thunder Sword.TM. features an opaque handle section and a translucent blade section. The sword also includes switches which trigger certain visual and acoustic effects produced by electronic circuitry housed within the handle of the sword. For example, in one mode of operation, waving or otherwise agitating the sword causes a motion actuated switch embedded in the sword to momentarily close. The motion actuated switch, in turn, triggers the electronic circuitry to produce a sound resembling the noise of thunder. The motion actuated switch is also operative to energize a light source, housed in the handle, in order to illuminate the interior of the blade during use. Other switches, disposed on the handle, can also trigger these effects when actuated. The aural and visual effects add a certain excitement to using the sword, particularly in a darkened room where the sword can resemble a thundering "light sabre" whenever the appropriate switches are actuated.
The present invention seeks to improve upon the excitement generated by the visual effects in such toy swords having lighted or illuminated blades. More particularly, the invention seeks to provide a toy sword having a blade which is (a) illuminated by light of varying color and (b) wherein the visual effects are actuated by the natural thrusting and parrying motions of sword play. It is also desired to effect these improvements and enhancements to the visual experience in sword play in a most cost effective manner.